From the orphanage to Boston University: the story of a disabled orphan from Russia adopted by Americans - ForumDaily
The article has been automatically translated into English by Google Translate from Russian and has not been edited.
Переклад цього матеріалу українською мовою з російської було автоматично здійснено сервісом Google Translate, без подальшого редагування тексту.
Bu məqalə Google Translate servisi vasitəsi ilə avtomatik olaraq rus dilindən azərbaycan dilinə tərcümə olunmuşdur. Bundan sonra mətn redaktə edilməmişdir.

From the orphanage to Boston University: the story of a disabled orphans from Russia adopted by Americans

Sasha Shulchev was born in the Tambov region in 1991. His parents left him in the orphanage: the boy’s legs did not move, and his hands had four fingers. Now he is 28 years old - Alexander Dijamus has conquered Kilimanjaro, plays the piano masterfully and is studying to become a lawyer at Boston University. His story is in the first person.

Photo: video frame YouTube / Voice of America

“I grew up in an orphanage for children with physical disabilities in the Penza region, in the city of Nizhny Lomov,” says Sasha Voice of America. All my childhood I moved in a small stroller that looked like a square scooter with four wheels. I pushed off the floor and thus moved.

When you grow up in an orphanage, you don't fully realize that you don't have a family like "normal" children. For you, the entire orphanage is a family, all the children are your brothers and sisters, and the educators and teachers are like parents. Then there was a great desire to receive the attention and love of parents, close relationships... Most of the children who left my orphanage ended up in nursing homes. Even if you had some interests, you understood that this would not be realized in a career. And I understood that I would also end up in a nursing home.

Photo: video frame YouTube / Voice of America

I adore Boston. I like architecture, I like people. When I arrived in America, I was very surprised by the fact that each building has access for the disabled. My experience in Russia shows that access for people with physical disabilities there is very limited. Of course, it is improving now, but still steps are everywhere. It seems to me that if people with disabilities do not even have access to buildings, this says a lot about the attitude of society to these people.

One of the first things I noticed when I came to America was that people weren't looking at me. They didn’t stop and “stare,” as we said in the orphanage. I immediately realized that the perception of people and physical disabilities here is completely different.

On the subject: Our in the USA: how to live in America with disabilities

Photo: video frame YouTube / Voice of America

My friends here don't consider me different. They do not believe that I am something different from them. Yes, they know that I have dentures, that if there is an elevator in the building, then I take the elevator. But it does not matter much.

At the age of 10 I started writing poetry. In 2005, Natasha Shaginyan-Needham came to our orphanage with a film crew, they were filming a documentary, and we organized a small concert where I read my poems. Natasha was the head of an adoption agency and the head of a charity that helped orphans. We became friends, she interviewed me. She asked if I had a magic wand, what would I do. I replied that I would make my legs so I could walk, but I would leave four toes - this is so original... She asked if I would like to go to the USA for surgery and learn to walk. It was a shock for me. That's how it all started. I believe that the activities of charitable organizations are very important - without such an organization I would not be here.

Photo: video frame YouTube / Voice of America

Natasha found a hospital in Dallas, Texas, where she can undergo surgery, and rehabilitate. She found acquaintances, Michael and Helen DJEMUS. They had a three month old baby, but they took me to live. In January, 2007 was operated, I had my lower legs amputated from my knees, so that I could wear prostheses. After three months, they started teaching me to walk on prostheses.

Photo: video frame YouTube / Voice of America

You put on your foot a special silicone form that holds the prosthesis. At first I was afraid of falling: I became very tall, three times higher. Everything around me was completely different.

We went to Russia to draw up an adoption, and on the last day before departure I asked my parents to take me to the bookstore, and I collected a huge bag of Russian books.

Photo: video frame YouTube / Voice of America

When I had the operation, Helen was caring for her baby and did not know how much my operation would require her constant help. We have a very close relationship, like mother and son. The plan was this: I will get artificial limbs, I will start walking and I will fly back to the orphanage. It seems to me, when I started walking, my parents understood: they would not be able to let me go back to the orphanage, where I did not know what would happen to me in the future.

One evening they asked me if I wanted to become the brother of their little son. Of course, I agreed. In just one year, I learned to walk and I had parents, I learned English. My mother's name is Helen, my father's name is Michael. I have never had a brother before and I love him very much. Without my parents I would not be here, I am very grateful to them.

Photo: video frame YouTube / Voice of America

Legal education in America is considered one of the most difficult. To get an education at Boston University, I took a loan, which I will pay when I become a lawyer. I also received a grant from the university as an award for my academic achievements.

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This summer I worked for a judge at a government agency that regulates discrimination. It was very difficult, but it was a good experience. I live in a small studio, which is located next to the university - 10 minutes walk.

Photo: video frame YouTube / Voice of America

I knew and understood very well since childhood how people in Russia feel about the adoption of orphans, especially by American citizens. In our orphanage there were a couple of children who were adopted by Americans, even before me. But people told me in all seriousness: you will go to America, and there they will take you for organs. When you are a child, you believe this.

I was not very surprised by the law of Dima Yakovlev, when the adoption was banned. But I wanted people to listen to the opinion of orphans more than to the opinion of politicians. I wrote a petition three days before the president of Russia had to sign this law. I told about my fate, how we lived in an orphanage, how we ate, and how I live now.

Photo: video frame YouTube / Voice of America

I wanted to say that if you are an orphan, the color of the passport of people who want to adopt you is not important. It is important that if you have the opportunity to live in a family, how can this be banned? But politics turned out to be more important than the lives of thousands of children.

I always liked the piano. In the orphanage, I often sat down for him and tried to play. Until I met with tunes that really require five fingers. Although, of course, if you try to play Rachmaninov, you and 20 fingers are not enough. No matter how it turns out, I like the process itself.

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Photo: video frame YouTube / Voice of America

Now I am a permanent participant in the organization that Natasha managed. I communicate with her very often, I have become a member of her family. We raise funds for orphanages in Russia, organize special projects - for example, a trip to Kilimanjaro. The first time I participated was in 2012, my freshman year in college. It was very difficult, probably the most difficult thing in my life.

Photo: video frame YouTube / Voice of America

The last time I was on Kilimanjaro was 4 years ago. People are still surprised when they hear this. I want them to understand that physical disabilities are not as bad as they think. And attitudes towards people with physical disabilities need to change. You need to constantly be reminded of this - remember that at least something is in your hands.

Photo: video frame YouTube / Voice of America

The world is cool, and life is wonderful. But we must not forget that this is not at all the case for many, many people.

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